Google+ Followers

Sunday, March 16, 2014

A unique mold... and Seed cake

In continuing with my exploration
of kitchen tools the French kitchen, I have come across a unique cake mold, recently
offered by Williams-Sonoma. This rectangular cake pan
offers the peculiarity of a lemon-shaped top, ideal for any citrus-flavoured
recipe. It is made of solid cast
aluminum and its non-stick coating ensures easy unmolding. I like to keep my eyes open for interesting
molds to add to my collection, and I just couldn’t resist this one. Always be on the lookout for accessories to
add to your kitchen tools, and in time you will develop a set tailored to your
own style of cooking and baking.

But beyond the ubiquitous
citrus loaf, I went a – curious – step further and decided on a classic
Victorian recipe – Seed cake. I became
aware of its existence watching an episode of the Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple
series, “At Bertram’s Hotel”. During one
of the sumptuous teatimes, Ms. Marple is offered this cake by one of the
waiters. But Jane Marple is hesitant in
accepting the offer, until the waiter tells her it is indeed the “true” seed
cake, a specialty of the house, for which the pastry chef has had the recipe
for years.

Seed cake was the
typical Victorian teacake. Sometimes it
was also eaten as a snack before turning in to help aid digestion, as caraway
seeds are known for their soothing qualities.
After some research, I came up with Mrs. Beeton’s recipe, a true
testament to the history of British teatime.

Stir in the
whisked eggs and then the brandy. Beat
for about 3 minutes, until very smooth and with no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for
about 1 ½ hours, until a skewer comes out clean when tested and the cake is
well risen, firm and golden brown. Once cold, it can be sprinkled with powdered sugar.

This is a very moist cake. It also freezes well, and I can’t
think of a better way to satiate bedtime munchies, along with a hot cup of herbal, lemony
tea.

Post a Comment

Search This Blog

Subscribe to this Blog

About Me

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and lived there during the first twenty years of my life. I've been living in the Sunshine State for over twenty years now, most recently in Orlando - the city of Disney.
I'm a Political Scientist and have traveled extensively as the true Saggitarian that I am. I love to experience new cultures through food and customs. In this blog, I aim to invite you to slow down and enjoy the pleasures of life in order to become the perfect, non-desperate hostess - mainly good food, wine, travel, great literature and entertainment with the people that matter to us. This is a blog about debauchery, so if you are not interested in self-indulgence, you might have to look elsewhere.
As far as my personal interests go, I have a sponge-like mind and absorb as much from the world around me as I can. I am mostly interested in everything French, the country's history, cuisine and traditions.
This blog is about dreams, projects and passions. Mine just as much as yours. I review products and places, and test recipes. I invite you to peruse and indulge...